You Are A Runner | Self Doubt and The Galloway Method
When I first decided to take up running I used the Couch to 5K (C25k) program. For those of you who aren’t familiar it is a program that starts of with run/walk intervals and overtime the distance you run becomes more and more until ultimately you can run a 5K in 30 (or so) minutes. The thing was at this time in my life I decided that I wasn’t a true runner unless I could run without stopping. No walk breaks. Period.
Well I ran my first 5K after completing the C25K program and I ran it straight through. I completed my first race with no walking so I just must be a runner now – right? Yes, at least that’s what I thought at the moment. The thing is once I wanted to increase my distance I found myself resorting to walking breaks again. I felt like a failure and downgraded myself to a “wannabe runner” and I felt a bit defeated and unmotivated to continue with running. That’s until I signed up for Disney Half (which I wasn’t able to run – you can read about that here.)
RunDisney has paired up with Jeff Galloway to create training plans for a variety of levels. The thing that is different about the Galloway Plan is that he promotes a run walk run method. The amount you run and the amount you walk depends on your level so some might do a 30sec/30sec and others will do a lot more running such as 6min/1min intervals. When I started to train for the half I adopted this method and to my surprise I was able to finish a 5k in less time than I had run previously and I felt stronger at the end. At that moment I was sold.
Since 2011 I have been using the Galloway Method and it is working well for me and guess what? I am a runner. I feel like one despite choosing to take walk breaks. You know why? Because taking walk breaks is okay and it actually makes me a stronger and more motivated runner.
I may never run a race without walking or be an elite runner but I am a runner. I run for me. I run for fun. I run to release stress. I run because it gives me joy and I run/walk because it’s what works for me.
Are you a Galloway Runner? Have you ever tried a run/walk plan like Galloway or Couch to 5k/10k?
This post is IN ABSOLUTELY NO WAY sponsored. I came across Galloway on my own and wanted to share this with you because it’s what has worked for me for years.
